Thin Mouth Guard
16th Aug 2020
If you have been diagnosed with bruxism (jaw clenching and teeth grinding) or your dentist recommends a mouthguard, you might be concerned about the fit and comfort of this form of treatment. Fortunately, there are thin mouth guards available to treat bruxism. Identifying the severity of your bruxism will help you select the best night guard thickness. You may also wonder if thin mouth guards are as safe as other thicker dental guards. A slim mouth guard may be the comfortable and safe solution you’ve been looking for.
Thin Mouth Guards
When you think of a night guard, a bulky plastic guard might come to mind. Actually, there are thin night guards available to treat bruxism and protect teeth as well. Thin mouthguards, like any bite guard, provide a barrier between the upper and lower teeth to prevent the teeth from grinding against each other. They effectively protect from painful side effects such as jaw pain, broken teeth, headaches, earaches, etc.
Typically, a custom fitted thin mouthguard measures at 1 mm thick. A custom fit mouth guard is optimal for 2 circumstances:
- If you grind your teeth during the day
- If you are a light teeth grinder
The thin mouth guard is an excellent treatment option for those who suffer from daytime bruxism because this slim guard is discreet enough to allow you to speak without the guard obstructing your speech. It sits comfortably in the mouth and you can close your mouth easily while wearing it. The guard is hardly visible.
Additionally, a thin night guard works well for those who are mild or light grinders. For severe grinders, thicker guards might be necessary because they might chew through a thinner guard more quickly.
NIGHT GUARD THICKNESS
Night guards are offered in varying levels of thickness to treat the different levels of bruxism. Heavy grinders may need a more durable, thick guard, while light grinders may only need the protection of a thin night guard. Let’s explore the different types of guards.
CUSTOM-FIT MOUTH GUARDS
Custom mouthguards are made from an impression of your teeth to ensure a perfect fit which is more comfortable and more protective than an over-the-counter option. They are also crafted in a professional dental lab from quality materials which are bpa-free. Pro Teeth Guard offers guards of varying thickness:
- Ultra Thin Guard (1 mm)
- Soft Night Guard (1.5 mm)
- Hard Night Guard (1.5 mm)
- Hybrid Night Guard (2 mm)
- Most Popular
- Hard Outside, Soft Inside
- 2MM Thick
- Moderate / Heavy
- Most Durable
- Hard Materials
- 1.5MM Thick
- Heavy / Severe
- For Day Time Use
- Thin, Barely Visible
- 1MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
- For Clenching
- Flexible & Soft
- 1.5MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
The thin mouth guard is made for light grinders or daytime grinders. The soft guard is a comfortable option for light to moderate grinders. The hard night guard is made to withstand severe teeth grinding. The hybrid night guard offers the comfortability of a soft inner layer matched with the durability of a hard exterior for moderate to heavy grinders.
Even custom night guards that aren’t marketed as thin guards are often thinner than over-the-counter night guards. Each option offers professional materials and a personalized fitting process to create a mouthguard that is designed for your unique mouth.
Related Articles:
OVER-THE-COUNTER MOUTH GUARDS
Over-the-counter mouthguards can typically be purchased from a drug store, sports store, or online through retailers like Amazon. They are usually offered in 2 options: one-size-fits-all stock mouthguards and boil-and-bite mouthguards. Boil-and-bite guards offer some customizability. By submerging the guard in hot water, it becomes moldable. However, these devices are typically bulkier, less comfortable, and less durable than their custom fit counterparts. While these mouthguards might provide effective protection against shock from sports related injuries, dentists do not recommend their use for teeth grinding or TMJ. According to the American College of Prosthodontists, “The standard thickness is 4-mm for most contact sports... It is recommended that a 5- or 6-mm thickness be used to better protect the athlete for extreme sports”. So, on average, over-the-counter mouthguards are far bulkier than even the thickest custom fit guards.
ARE THIN MOUTH GUARDS SAFE?
In short, yes. Thin mouthguards offer protection for the teeth in the same way that thick mouthguards do. However, thin mouth guards are most useful for treating light and daytime grinding. Those who suffer from severe sleep bruxism might chew through the guard more quickly and have to purchase a new one sooner than necessary. If you are unsure of the severity of your teeth grinding, visit your dentist so they can assess tooth damage and make a recommendation.
Pro Teeth Guard’s ultra thin guard is made from the same high-quality durable materials as our other custom fitted night guards. They are crafted from a thin layer of durable acrylic plastic. They are custom made in a professional dental lab from impressions of your teeth so you are guaranteed a comfortable fit. Typically, the ultra thin guard will last between 6 months and 2 years, depending on the level of grinding.
COMFORTABLE PROTECTION WITH THIN NIGHT GUARDS
The best mouthguards are ones people actually wear, so finding a comfortable night guard is important. The slim fit of thin dental mouth guards make them more comfortable and less conspicuous. For those with mild or day-time bruxism, a thin night guard is a comfortable way to alleviate symptoms of teeth clenching and grinding.
At Pro Teeth Guard, you can get a custom-fit dental night guard at an affordable price. We make our night guards in a professional dental lab, and every night guard is guaranteed to fit comfortably with our 110% money-back satisfaction guarantee. To learn more, you can read customer reviews from our Ultra Thin Guard.
Sources:
- Giglio, G. D. (2015). Mouthguard Use in Sports. American College of Prosthodontists. https://www.prosthodontics.org/assets/1/7/Mouthguard_Use_in_Sports_Position_Statment.pdf
- Most Popular
- Hard Outside, Soft Inside
- 2MM Thick
- Moderate / Heavy
- Most Durable
- Hard Materials
- 1.5MM Thick
- Heavy / Severe
- For Day Time Use
- Thin, Barely Visible
- 1MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
- For Clenching
- Flexible & Soft
- 1.5MM Thick
- Light / Moderate
